All parents want their kids to be joyful and full of energy to live life to the fullest. However, there can be a downside to having a wealth of energy. Kids who have an excess of energy may have trouble sitting down and concentrating on their homework. Use the following strategies to help your energetic kid study more effectively without fighting for their concentration and attention.
Play Calming Music
You need to create a pleasant, calming atmosphere for energetic children in order to help them stay still and focus on the work. One way to set the scene is with beautiful tunes. For starters, you may want to play some upbeat background music. Classical music or other instrumental music is the best way to go because the lyrics won’t get distracting for students.
Serve Snacks First
It’s easier for children to focus on homework when they are well-fed and satisfied, so be sure to serve an after-school snack before encouraging your child to dig into homework. Food can also be calming for some energetic kids, but you just may want to try to shy away from high-sugar snacks before a long homework session. Yogurt, nuts, and fruits are good options for a pre-homework snack.
Make Lists
In order to break down homework into manageable parts, help your child make a list of all the homework tasks that are required for the night. Make this list at the start of an afternoon, so that you can track off each accomplishment throughout the afternoon and evening. This doesn’t have to be a detailed list. You can just jot down the basic idea of each task to help your child stay on track.
Implement The Pomodoro Technique
Many adults employ the Pomodoro Technique throughout their workday. This means that they work hard for 25 minutes straight, then take a five minute break. This can be a great fit for energetic kids, because it allows them to get up and run or dance during the five-minute break before doubling down on homework for the next 25-minute session. This can be repeated over and over again until homework is completed.
Play with Work
Homework need not be a source of torture for your child. In fact, you can help make it a lot of fun. When possible, help your child learn with games. For example, if your child is learning math, you may bring out the Monopoly board and play part of a game to help teach about a certain aspect of the lesson.
If there is no way to be playful with the actual homework, you may make it a tradition to play a board game immediately after a homework session. It can give restless kids something fun to anticipate while focusing on the homework.
Finally, keep in mind that your child’s study habits may need to change over time. Some kids get easily bored with the same study habits over time, while others will do best with a specific routine. Continue to experiment and modify your study strategies to best serve the needs of your kids.
